Housing starts drop in Durham last year

DURHAM -- There were almost 500 fewer housing starts in Durham Region last year compared to 2011.

Preliminary data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation shows there were 2,771 units started in 2012, compared to the 3,250 from the year earlier.

"In 2012, the apartment segment in Oshawa was responsible for a greater than usual share of housing starts. Limited growth in employment this year impacted demand for low-rise homes," said Inna Breidburg, CMHC's market analyst for Oshawa Census Metropolitan Area.

A start is defined as construction beginning on any unit -- single-detached homes, semi-detached, row (townhouses) and apartments.

The Oshawa CMA includes Oshawa, Whitby and Clarington. There were 302 apartment units started in the CMA and those were the only apartments started in Durham last year.

The report included statistics for all of Durham Region, not just the Oshawa CMA.

Clarington, with 735 units, had the most starts, followed by Whitby with 635 and Ajax with 600. Oshawa had 433 starts and Pickering 298. Uxbridge had 44 starts, Scugog 18 and Brock eight.